Wearing your ethics: The sustainability gap between purchasing intentions versus actions. The case of generation z students

The purpose of this research is to contribute to a greater understanding of whether an attitudebehaviour gap exists in the sustainable fashion consumption of generation z students. The Cone study (2019) identified that generation z are increasingly concerned for the planet, with 94% believing that action is needed relative to sustainability, and that we need to come together to solve important issues. This study aims to investigate consumption behaviours of generation z students to identify to what extent an attitude behaviour gap exists. The study adopts a mixed methodology, where 60 questionnaires and 6 interviews were carried out to gain a deeper understanding of the issue. The results demonstrate a clear gap between prosustainability ideologies and observed behaviour, questioning the established theory and results of the Cone (2008, 2019) study. The key barriers for sustainable clothing consumption are: price, lack of knowledge, lack of choice, lack of aesthetic, scepticism over business transparency and social desirability.